New Era, (Panchgani, India) is a major centre for Baha’i activities

Right from the beginning the Bahais at NETTC and New Era High School, Panchgani were proselytizing the students, staff and locals of Wai and Satara area.

The Bahai staff of this institution was quite often warned by the Government, Police and the locals to stop their conversion activities as it is against the Law of India. All these years, these advices/warnings went over the deaf ears of the Bahai officials. In fact to camouflage, the Bahais changed the name of NEDI to NETTC to give the impression that they are truly engaged only in ‘Teachers Training Programme’. But, now their very secretive conversion activity in the name of “Promoters of the wellness of the Community” stands exposed.

On 3rd March the locals caught the Bahais red handed indulging in conversion activities. The Bahais arrived in a Mini Bus to propagate Bahai religion to the local people in Wai. The Bahais were taken to the police station where Bahai officials said that “we were conducting practicals for these students”. They were told that why the students can’t go to different schools and get their practical training.

The students confessed that they were going to villages for conduction of Bahai religious classes for children and youths and they were told by their teachers that their course will be completed only when they do these activities. The teacher warned them to be ‘TACTFUL’ while propagating the Bahai religion.

On seeing the Bahai books it became clear for the Police that it was a conversion class. As the ‘Ruhi Book’ that they were having, contained Baha’i religious material and chapters such as “UNDERSTANDING THE BAHA’I WRITINGS.”

The Police officials reprimanded Bahais of their hypocritical behaviour and warned them not to teach Bahai Faith to the students/staff of NETTC as well as locals of Wai and Panchgani.

On further inquiry it was revealed by the staff, that there are numerous complaints against all the three institutes of Bahais namely:

• NETTC

• New Era School and Junior college

• New Era Baha’i Academy

The conversion activities going on in these institutes are in the name of Children Moral Classes, Youth Classes etc. In fact some of the staff of these institutes have given a written complaint to the government authorities that these institutes demands ‘Conversion’ in return of confirmation and promotion in these institutes. Therefore some of the staff just to gain the facilities provided by these institutes like good salary, food, boarding and lodging have apparently accepted the Bahai Faith, but in actuality they practice their ancestral Religion.

The heads of all the three Bahai institutions are Iranians who have hired local Indians to go to the villages, schools, colleges and universities to teach Bahai Training courses which are nothing but purely ‘Bahai Religious Teachings’. Some of these people are well versed in local languages so they cunningly escape the authority scanners.

The staff further gave information that sometimes they have to conduct ‘Ruhi Classes’ for all the students of the class. The students are least interested in these courses but the staff and students have to do it compulsorily for hours and hours together. These courses have hidden agenda of teaching of Bahai religious passages. The students are supposed to memorize long Bahai prayers and quotations in order to enrich themselves with Bahai Teaching and culture.

Even the tiny tots are not spared from Bahai teachings. They too have to undergo various Bahai children courses designed for them, that are based on Ruhi books.

One of the senior staff who has retired from the school and now taken another assignment in one school elaborated the whole teaching process of the Bahais. He said that Bahai Faith has no acceptability in the society. Bahai Faith has nothing new to offer to the society although they claim that they have solutions for all the problems, but first the people should accept Bahai Faith. In fact Bahai teachings have been copied from other religions. Thefore in order to spread the Bahai teachings, the Bahai Administration emphasizes on establishment of Schools and consider the children as best and fruitful targets.

Some of the parents have seriously objected to Bahais proselytizing going on in these Bahai Institutions. But then they have limitations to change the schools at this stage.

The teachers involved in Bahai activities are:

Mr. Swapan Sinha

Mr. Banamali Jena

Mr. Siddhen

Mrs. Farideh Vahdat

Mrs. Neha Khanna

Mr. Uttam Kamble

Mr. Sunder

Mrs. Pratima puri

Mr. Hari

Mr. Swapnil Shinde

Mr. Yogesh Kale

Mrs. Shivani

Mr. Vinod

Ms. Rita

The Bahai officials were warned, thus:

The local youths said, that people of Satara, Wai and Panchgani are self sufficient so don’t send any body to Wai Taluka for any Bahai religious classes. They don’t need education from Bahai institutions and they do not require Bahai writings. In fact they advised the Bahais to learn from the glorious lives of Shivaji Maharaj, Dr. Ambedkar, Mahatma Phule and Mahatma Gandhi.

For conducting practicals for their Teacher Training Center, the students should go to different schools and get the practice.

NETTC should have the Government permission to run the “Teacher Training Program”, their syllabus should be approved and so also their training programme.

The Police Officer said that he want peace in Wai, he asked the Bahais to give in writing that No one from NETTC will come down to Wai Taluka for any classes or to teach the Bahai religion.